Shane homepage. Credit: T. Schneider – Shutterstock
EU Attorney General Michael McGrath has expressed serious concern about the safety of products sold by Chinese retail giants Shayne and Tem, as the European Commission strengthens scrutiny of the two platforms.
The crackdown is argued that many of them are suspected of fraut safety regulations as the EU handles 12 million low-value compartments from non-EU online retailers every day.
Justice committee member “shocked” by low quality scenes and Tem products
McGrath described herself as “shocked” including baby teeth with removable beads that pose a risk of choking, a child’s raincoat containing toxic chemicals, and sunglasses that do not have UV protection. Recent MEP reports also highlight cosmetics with butylphenylmethylpropional (Real), an entity that has been banned in the EU since 2022 due to fertility and risk of fetal development. The findings stem from an ongoing investigation of secret shoppers across the EU, and the results are expected to soon expose further non-compliance by Chinese retailers.
The EU’s safety gate system, which tracks unsafe non-food products, issued 4,137 record alerts last year. Cosmetics led most of the complaints, followed by toys and appliances. McGrath exposed non-compliant sellers who suffered a potential double threat to the EU in dangerous products, and undermine consumers and European companies that were forced to force higher compliance costs.
Billions of small consignments from Scene under the committee’s spotlight and Tem
A massive surge in low-value imports from places like China added around 4.6 billion consignments for less than 150 euros in 2024. To address this issue, the EU is considering eliminating the 150 euro tax-free threshold, introducing per-package handling fees to prevent low-value purchases and prevent enhanced customs checks. This is similar to recent actions in the US when President Donald Trump’s executive order ended the $800 tax exemption threshold and charged a minimum of $50, 30% tax or $50 per item.
McGrath is set to raise issues with potential Chinese authorities at the EU-China Summit in Beijing on July 25th. Shane responded to the allegations and highlighted a $15 million investment in compliance, including $2.5 million in product safety testing and partnerships with test centers. Temu has presented a report showing meticulous review of sellers and cooperation with global certification bodies to ensure compliance. The companies emphasize their commitment to consumer safety, but the EU is not convinced and determined to implement stricter surveillance to protect consumers and local businesses.
